Capt. Ed Bitton, his wife, Becky, and their family were assigned to be a "family" at Utah State Prison a few years ago. While there, they had the followmg experience, and, although it wasn't a Battalion experience, it is one to which Battalion members today can relate. A group of Russian judges visited Utah, and after an all day meeting at BYU, where they observed the application of computer science to the Law, they visited a "Family Home Evening" at the prison. Mr. Lev Nickolayevich Smirnov, Chairman of The Soviet Supreme Court, represented the others in asking questions: "How do the inmates "get their strength" to live law-abiding lives?" Branch president Gregson explained that it came from "the inner man" of each person. To these atheists, this was a myth and m a later discussion, they admitted having their doubts. They thought our presentation was "staged" to impress them They doubted that there could be anything to the notion of human spirituality, or that prison inmates could be rehabilitated No "scum-of-the-earth'' could become a law-abiding citizen- -a belief, by the way, that is shared by many Americana One incident, not plalmed or staged, occurred without anyone bemg aware of its implication . A toddler, off his motber's lap, wobbled up to the front of the Prison Chapel where an inmate was leading the singing of "Love at Homew (Do you sense the irony?) and tugged at the trouser leg of his inmate "big brother." Without losing his beat, the inmate stooped down and took the child up in his free arm.
"And a little child shall lead them," once more exemplified heGospel of Jesus Christ in action. As our honored guests were leaving, they expressed, "Our hearts have been deeply touched this night!" Later, at their concluding U.S. press interview, before leaving for Russia, journalists asked, "What was your most memorable experience?" To which Chairman Smirnov replied, "The Mormons!" When asked why, he added, "Mormons care!" Then he added, 'If I had enough power in Russia, I would see that every Russian could be a Mormon! " Having studied Utah before coming to the U.S., he said, "The literature never mentioned the people who are doing a great job Extremely important is your philosophy that the family is a prime source of everything!" [Excerpted from an account by Capt. Ed Bitton, Co "Bt C O., experienced in 1979 ]